August 1, 2006
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Montclair, California, USA:
My son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was nine. He takes insulin shots and is counting carbohydrates. We are debating that he should not drink anything with sugar, such as soda and Kool-Aid. The doctor said its okay, in moderation. He’s tired of sugar free drinks, so he wants to go back to regular drinks. His sugar levels are always going up and down.
Answer:
I would recommend that your son continue with sugar free drinks such as diet soda, Crystal Light, water, unsweetened tea, etc. Try some of the drinks sweetened with Splenda. They have no aftertaste and are the closest tasting to real sugar. Save those carbohydrates for food that will fill your son up rather than wasting them on empty calories.
JMS